Now that cheer has become a sport, many things have changed. There are two different types of cheerleading, competitive and traditional. Competitive cheer is allowing the teams to stunt, tumble, cheer and dance. Traditional cheer is allowing the teams to cheer and dance.

For competitive cheer, two major regulations must be met: 1) Selective Classification for middle school students to participate at the high school level; and 2) Coaching Certification which now requires coaches to have the same training and certifications as other coaches in New York, including training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, first aid, concussion management, child abuse reporting and the Dignity for All Students Act.

Both Dryden cheer coaches have completed the training requirements and have received certification at their own expense!

The Dryden cheerleading program has been in existence for more than 15 years covered by school insurance. Cheerleaders were allowed to stunt, tumble, cheer and dance, and Dryden cheerleaders brought home numerous IAC trophies.

As a sport, competitive cheer does the same as we have always done in the past.- stunt, tumble, cheer and dance. It appears now there is an insurance problem with this new designation.

The sport itself involves stunting and tumbling. Without these two, it is like competing as a dance team. Taking away part of our sport is like telling football teams that they cannot tackle. Football would not be football without preventing the other team from scoring. Cheerleading would not be cheerleading without stunting and tumbling.

Please support Dryden Cheerleaders and their desire to be classified as competitive cheer by signing this petition. Let’s show our administrators, school board, and the insurance company that Dryden cheer is doing nothing different today than in past years, other than cheerleaders have finally be recognized as the athletes they always have been.

Thank you for your support!